I'd like to have any of the Cullen kids as siblings, particularly Alice because then she could tell me what's in the future.....or maybe Jasper because of his awesome gift.

Character you'd most like to be friends with?

I would love to be best friends with Ella from Ella Enchanted. Her defiance to her situation inspires me....Also, her ability to make light of any situation. I need to do that more often.

Character you'd most like to have as a cousin?

As a cousin....hmmm. I'd like it if Lupin were my cousin (from Harry Potter). We could talk about the good ol' howlin' days. Plus I've always wondered what it would be like to have a werewolf at family gatherings.

Character you'd most like to have an adventure with?

There are lots of these. But the one that sticks out in my mind is Edward Cullen. I'm absolutely in love with him and would love to just run off with him somewhere.

Favorite quirky character?

There are two: Jess from the 1-800-Where R U? series by Meg Cabot that I'm currently reading. She can be downright hilarious. And second: Hagrid from Harry Potter. His love for dangerous creatures makes him very unique, but also that he's a gentle giant with a great big heart!

Favorite love to hate character?

There can be no love to hate character created better than Esme Squaler from A Series of Unfortunate Events. She's fashionable in a strange way, wanting to always be "in" which sometimes causes her to wear hilarious outfits and drink bogus things sch as Parsely Soda. She's the villain and the comedic relief all rolled in to one. And I would "kill" to be able to wear her "stilettos" (ha!).

Monday, February 19, 2007

For my drama compteition, I decided to write a few diary entries from my character's perspective. I got this idea from Backstage Musings.

February 6, 2007 Best Western HotelMom bought me this diary.“You look upset, and I know you need to work it out.”And she thinks I can work out all of my problems by writing in this journal. Nice try, mom. Really. Thanks but no thanks.Still, I should try to do something.We’ve been living here in our rented out two bedrooms at the Best Western for nearly two days now.Nothing has gotten better.Tonight we went to Wal-Mart. We had to buy all of our clothes from scratch all over again.If anyone is optimistic, it’s my sister, Julie.“This’ll be sorta fun.” She said.And it should have been. Really, it should have. But it wasn’t. Julie and I haunted the juniors’ department, picking out clothes to try on, while mom and my little brother, Luke, went to the kids department to get him some new shirts and socks.Julie was at her hap-happiest best, suggesting things and telling us what she just knew would be dad’s favorite out of the things we chose for him.Poor dad. He’s still in the hospital-the burns still cover him and he can barely stay awake. Our doctor said he’ll live, but he seems to barely be making it.It’s not fair. I got away just fine-minor burns, a few scratches, and mere smoke inhalation. Julie even better-less scratches and little bit of smoke.Mom and Luke are fine-with the same symptoms as us.But dad....Well, let’s just say it’s not pretty.I’m his daughter, and I should be able to sit with him in his hospital room for hours, talk about what living in a hotel room is like, and spoon feed him jello or something.I can’t stay in there for more than ten minutes. Not that he can notice so much-since he’s in a coma-but still. Mom notices. Julie notices. Luke notices.They haven’t said anything, of course. They’re too nice for that, but I just can’t stand it.Every time we do go visit him, I pace around the room for ten minutes, never being able to really look at him. And the smell-I can’t even talk about the smell. It’s just too much.It’s like hospital, blood, charred wood, smoke, and human waste all combined.Paris Hilton could probably come up with a catchy name for the scent I’m sure-like Get Well Soon, My Love (melted bracelet and lip pallet thrown in with any purchase of a 50 ounce bottle or more!). It would sell for millions, and she’d have to give some of the money to us since we, the Smith family, came up with it in the first place.Then maybe we could rebuild the house exactly how it was-and re-buy everything in it.That would make life just peachy. You know?But things like that never happen in real life.In real life, when you’re house burns down, it’s not murder, escape, or in Jane Eyre’s experience-finding true love again.It’s nausea, having no place to go, not even being able to see or hug your father, and the smell of charred wood combined.And I hate it.After Wal-Mart we went to the hospital, they all went up to visit dad while I stayed down and stared at the vending machines.How long is this going to last?I can barely stand it.-Chris Smith

February 7, 2007; The HospitalLast night the fireman called us on mom’s cell phone. The house apparently cooled down enough for us to come out and investigate the remains of our past life.I found lots old, unwanted stuff.I destroyed a vase that probably would have looked good holding sunflowers in Dad’s hospital room.The flowers might have made the room smell better, too. But I destroyed it. Julie watched me do it. I just can’t stand how perfect the thing was when everything else was in ruins.I might have been wrong, but I didn’t see Julie or Mom take anything with them, either. I only took a small cup of ashes (and I don’t even really know why).Only Luke took something-it was the charred remains of bike, only a bit of the handlebar, half-melted.Mom thought taking the ashes was a good idea, though. She said it reminded her of the Phoenix in Greek mythology.“Oh yeah, wasn’t there one in Harry Potter, too?” Luke asked me.Then mom explained about the Phoenix, how it died and turned into ashes, then was reborn from them, too.Luke thought it was a cool idea-he sketched what he though a phoenix might look like on a piece of Best-Western stationary he found in the desk.Then we set it up with the cup of ashes on the windowsill in Dad’s room.I think they’re better than sunflowers.I still couldn’t stay for more than five or ten minutes. And dad still hasn’t woken up.I’m not saying everything will get better.But maybe, it won’t be so bad. After all, it’s like what Julie said when we checked into our Best Western hotel rooms:“It’s sort of like, an adventure or something, right guys?”That is, of course, until she had to shampoo her hair with Best Western hair care products.-Chris Smith

Chris-I am NOT that shallow! Or optimistic!-Julie Smith

Oh yes, you are. And you are NOT allowed to read other people’s journals!!! -Chris Smith

February 8, 2007, Best Western LobbyMom was sick this morning, and Luke did the thing he always does when someone is sick-freak out and think he’s getting it, too.So they both stayed at the Hotel room today, and Julie decided to stay and take care of them.So I guess I’m on my own. I called Meg and she said she’d come pick me up and take me to school-which I haven’t been to in three days. I’ll be so behind. But I don’t care. I just need to get caught up.I need to see my friends-who I’ve only been texting these past couple days.They all know about the fire.Of course, they don’t know what caused it-not even I know.The firefighters are still working that.They said it was probably accidental-toast left too long in the oven, a cigarette dropped on the ground and not put out, something electrical.But you know what I think-oh wait, this’ll have to wait till later. I see Meg’s ’95 Honda pulling into the parking lot.

Friday, February 16, 2007

This is one of my favorite quotes from Gail Carson Levine's Writing Magic that I was reading today:

So what makes the difference between caring and not caring? The author'scruelty. And the reader's sympathy. We Keep turning the pages because we'reworried. Horrible things are happening to the heroine (some of which she may becausing), and we have to find out if she comes through them all right.

I love this because it's so true. I did not really identify with Bella (from the Twilight and New Moon series) until New Moon when something horrible (which I will not reveal in case anyone is thinking about reading or reading either of these books) happens to her.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Okay-before I begin, let me just say a quick thank you for all my valentines from valentr! I loved all my valentines! Okay, back to business. So today, after having been absent for two days from school because of a sinus infection (or something close to it) I had Drama practice (cross those fingers, knock on wood, and pray devoutly! I've been chosen to compete at the state competition in Austin, Texas). My drama coach also happens to be my English teacher, and well, God bless her, I don't think she means to do this-but she has the habbit of foisting things on people at the very worst moment. All of a sudden she was talking about how my friend Audrey couldn't do this because it interferred with the schedule of her main Drama event. Okay, so it was partially my fault because I wasn't really listening, instead I was fascinated by the comics a friend of mine drew making fun of the Nancy Drew illustrations (and let me tell you, they were really funny; I mean Olympic Gold Medalist hilarious), and all of a sudden, before I even knew what was happening, I was signed up for a book critiquing competition. BOOK CRITIQUING COMPETITION!!!! At STATE level!!!!!Wow. Wow. And more Wow.BOOK CRITIQUING COMPETITION!!!!!!Sorry, just had to type that again.And also, she really wasn't specific on all that it entailed. So I have no idea what I'm doing. Furthermore, I'm convinced that she has no idea, either.If that wasn't bad enough, just look at the title I'll be reading: The Trip To Bountiful. THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL!!!! What kind of title is that?And, okay-it's not actually a book, it's a play. Which makes it worse. Anyone heard of Horton Foote? The author of The Trip To Bountiful, as well as these.....shall we say interesting titles?Vernon EarlyTaking PicturesBlind DateSo yes, I have a LOT on my poor, little side dish-sized plate right now.

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Get your own valentinrSince there's only two days left-I'll put this up in a post.You can click this picture to send me a valentine, which I'll only be able to open two days from now. So please-if you haven't already-send me one!

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Bridge to TerabithiaExcellent! Wonderful! Bravo Katherine Paterson!I read this book in anticipation of the movie, soon to come out.And I was surprised.Rather than this book being filled with mythical creatures, palaces, and trademark fantasy items, this book was very real, and very sobering.Jesse Aarons is just a normal kid. His only wish is to win an all-boys running contest at school.That is, until, Leslie Burke shows up and beats him on the spot.Even though this seems hardly any of a beginning friendship, they become very good friends and create a place in their imaginations-Terabithia is born.But tragedy will soon follow, leaving Jess devastated.I strongly recommend you read the book!

A Northern Light by Jenifer DonellyI loved this book. It was ssssooooo good! Trust me. Just read it.It's a Printz winner too.The basic storyline:Mattie lived in North Woods, New York with her father and sisters during the early nineteen hundreds.When she finds a job at a hotel-she is asked by a girl, Grace Brown, to burn a pack of letters. Grace and her "sweetheart" turn up missing, until they find Grace's body. She's dead.It's now up to Mattie whether she'll keep quiet or prove that Grace Brown was murdered.

Ophelia by Lisa Klein A good book-especially for those who had trouble understanding HAMLET. Ophelia can be a bit slow going, but in the end it is a truly beautiful book.

Friday, February 2, 2007

Okay, this has to be the oddest post I've ever written so far (some may disagree-I have some pretty odd posts stuffed back in the blog-closet).

But anyway-every house I've been to (and that's a LOT of houses, since my mom's in real estate), when you step into the bathroom of that house you see something that you usually never even give a second thought to (unless the sight of magazines ethuzes you)-and that would be a basket, box, or some sort of container filled with old magazines.

Well, they don't call me a rebel for nothing.

Instead of magazines in my nifty mesh, silver basket, I have books.

So when guests come over and they have to.....you know......they are greeted by the sight of highly recommendable books just sitting there, waiting to be read.

These books are also some of my favorites:

Avalon High by Meg Cabot

It's no secret that I'm a HUGE fan of Meg Cabot's work, and Avalon High is no exception. Packed with romance, awkward situations, a unique heroine, and King Arthur lore, it's just what you'd expect from any well written Teen Fantasy novel.

Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix

I'm just a *little* (okay maybe *alot*) obsessed with the Cinderella story. Just Ella is the story of what happens after Cinderella is made a princess.

She has a bit of a breakdown when she suddenly finds that she's not in love with the beautiful, though boring, prince and longs for her simple life of books and practicality. No fantasy, but lots of fun. One of my favorites (though ella enchanted will always be my favorite retelling)

About Me

My favorite thing in the world is to read a book. I also enjoy writing, graphic design, and all media and forms of art. I'm also addicted to starbucks coffee (well, who isn't) and have my heart set on traveling the world.